Variable-speed gearing.



Patented July l, |902. L. T. `WEISS. VARIABLE SPEED GEARING.

(Appucatin mea Apr. s, 1901.)

(No Model.)

ATTORN EY THE Nonms PETERS co. PHoraLlTuo.. wAsumnoN. D. c

Patented July I, |902.

L. T. WEISS. VARIABLE SPEED GEABING.

(Application led Apr. 8, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

ATIQRNEY y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIs T. WEISS, ORFLATBUSH, NEW YORK.

-VARIABLE-SPEED GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 703,629, dated July 1, 1902.

Application filed April 6, 1901. Serial No. 54,761. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS T. -WEISs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flatbush, in the county of Kings and city and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Variable-Speed Grear-- ings, o`f which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gearing whereby rotary motion of uniform speed is converted into rotary motion variable in speed; and the Object is to provide a gear whereby a`rotating part traveling at a uniform rate of speed is made to transmit rotary motion to another part, which transmitted motion'may vary in speed from zero to a predetermined maximum by infinitely small increments and which may be in either direction.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Fig-` ure 1 is a sectional elevation of the gear, the plane of the section, indicated by line m in Fig. 2, being taken transversely of the driving-shaft. Fig. 2 is a section taken at line 002 in Fig. 1 and in a plane parallel with the axis of the driving-shaft. Fig. 3 is a transverse section at the key in the plane indicated byline .03 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is asection of the operating-eccentric, showing the ohlique key or stud in same. Fig. 5 is an end view of the driving-dog. Fig. 6 is a face-view of the same, and Fig. 7 is an edge view ofthe same. the principal views. Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional detail views illustrating the reversing devices, and Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are diagrams illustrating the operation of said devices. Fig. 13 is a detached sectional view of the eocentric and its yoke.

1 designates the driving-shaft. This shaft normally rotates ata uniform rate of speed, and from it rotary motion is transmitted to another part. This transmitted motion may be varied in speed by intermediate mechanism. On'this shaft is mounted, so that it may slide longitudinally therealong, an eccentric sleeve 2, having in its face a spiral groove 3, with a pitch-angle of about forty-tive degrees, by preference. This sleeve may be moved to and fro alongthe shaft by acoupling device 2' at its end. On the sleeve 2 are mounted two like eccentric sleeves 4 4, the outer surfaces of which are always concentric with the shaft These views are on a larger scale than.

but these keys engage'slots 7in the inner sleeve 2, whereby the latter is permitted to slide longitudinallyalongtheshaft. Theoutersleeves 4: have flanges 8 at their inner or adjacent ends, and between these flanges 8 and the collars 6, respectively, are situated the hubs of two sprocket-wheels or gear-wheels 9, which turn on the respective sleeves 4 as journals. On the inner sleeve 2, between the inner ends of the sleeves 4, serving as keeper-collars, is mounted an Operating-eccentric 10, which is adapted to be rotated about the sleeve 2 when the latter is moved longitudinally along the shaft by the engagement of an oblique stud or key 11 thereon with the spiral groove 3 in the sleeve 2. The degree of eccentricity of the eccentric 10 and the sleeve 2is the same, and'when their greatest radii are one hundred and eighty degrees apart, or opposite, the peripheral surface of the eccentric 10 will ber concentric with the shaft 1. It may be explained here that the groove 3 and key 11 will be so placed with respect to the throw of the eccentric 10 and sleeve 2 that when the latter is shifted to its full operative extentin one direction the eccentric 10 will have its full operative throw, and when said sleeve is moved in the opposite direction the said throw will be gradually decreased until a point is fin-ally reached where the eccentric becomes concentric with the shaft and its throw wholly V neutralized. At this point the motion is reversed, as willb'e hereinafter explained. Embracing the eccentric 10 and preferably turning on ball-bearingsv thereon is a yoke 12, the functions of which will now be explained. On the inner faces ofthe respective sprocketwheels 9 are gripping rims or vflanges 13. These flanges are circular and concentric with the shaft 1, and it is through the'rnedium of these flanges that the two sprocket-wheels are driven, but 'in Opposite directions, by means of dogs D, which will now be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 7 for details. As here shown, there are two dogs D, oppositely arranged with respect to the driving-shaft; but there may be one or more of these devices. The dogs are situated between the ICC sprocket-wheels and are provided with jaws to embrace the flanges 13 and to bite thereon, so as to rotate the sprocket-wheels when the dogs are operated. Structurally each dog comprises as its elements a body 14, a spindle 15, which has a rocking bearing in said body, a head 16, secured to the outer end of said spindle, two inner jaws 17 to bear upon the inner faces of the flanges 13, and two outer jaws 18 to bear upon the outer faces of the said flanges. The inner jaws have a balland-socket bearing 19 on the body 14, and the outerjawshaveasimilarball-and-socketbearing 2O on the head 16. On theinner end of the spindle l5 is a somewhat oval-shaped crankarm 2l,wherebythe saidspindle may be rocked in either direction or held after it is rocked. Normally the spindle 15 will be so rocked and held that the head 16 will be a little oblique to the axis of the sprocket-wheels, as seen in Fig. 5, thus moving the two outer jaws 18 out of radial coincidence with the corresponding inner jaws 17. The ball-jointing of the jaws on their supports enables them to fit or adapt themselves to the flanges 13 on the sprocket-wheels, and when the dog is vibrated or moved to and fro in a plane parallel to that in which the sprocket-wheels rotate the jaws of one pair bite on the flange of one wheel and rotate the latter in one direction and the jaws of the other pair bite on the flange of the other wheel and rotate it in the opposite direction. To operate the dogs,'the yoke 12 is provided with arms 12', which are coupled by links 22 to lugs 23 on the respective bodies 14 of the dogs. As the yoke is actuated by the eccentric 10 its arms 12 act, through the links 22, to slightly rock the dogs until the jaws thereof bite on the flanges-13, when the further movement imparted to the (log carries the sprocket-wheel around to an extent proportioned to the operative throw of the eccentric 10. NVhen the normal throw of the eccentric is neutralized, as before explained, there will be no movement of the yoke 12, and consequently no movement of the dogs.

It will be understood that the rocking movement of the dog due to side draft will be very slight. Normally the axis of the spindle 15 will be radial to the circular flanges 13, and the pairs of jaws will fit quite snugly to the latter. Hence a slight rocking movement in one direction in the plane of rotation will bring one set of jaws into biting or gripping contact with the flange 13 of one wheel, while a slight rocking movement in the opposite direction causes the other jaws to bite on or grip the flange on the other wheel. When one pair of jaws is operating, the other pair plays freely over the flange or gripping rim which they embrace. In order to reverse the motions of the two sprocket-wheels, it is only necessary to turn the spindle 15 about its axis until the Obliquity of the head 1G is reversed. This will change the lead7 of the outer jaws of the pairs and reverse their operation.

The means for reversing will now be described with especial reference to Figs. 8 to 12. The lateral faces of the operating-eccentric 10 are embraced by two washer-like disks 24, which extend out and also embrace the crank-arms 21 on the spindles 15 of the dogs D. The disk 24 is connected to the side of the eccentric by screws 25, engaging and playing in radial slots in the disk, so that the disks may always remain concentric with the shaft 1. These disks 24 and the eccentric 10 are allowed a slight lateral movement, the eccentric between the inner ends of the sleeves 4 and the disks between the ilanges 8 on the said sleeves, and this lateral movement of the disks suffices to rock the spindles of the dogs D through the crank-arms thereon embraced by the disks.

Referring now especially to Figs. 8 and 9, the former showing the outer face of a disk 24 and the latter the inner face of a flange 8, to which the face oi' the disk is applied, it will be noted that the disk has on its face two raised concentric ribs or tracks 26 and 26'., which extend a little more than a semicircle, and onthe adjacent face of the flange 8 are two elevated ribs 27 and 27', which are relatively short. Only one disk and one flange are shown in Figs. 8 and 9; but it should be understood that both disks and flanges will be provided with ribs, as shown in these tigures, the difference between them being that the ribs on the flanges, for example, will be so set or placed that when the ribs on one flange surmount or bear on the ribs on the adjacent disk the ribs on the other flange will not register with the flanges on the disk adjacent thereto, but the face of the flange will bear on the ribs on the disk. Thus it will be seen that by rotating the disks 24 and eccentric 10 with reference to the flanges 8 through a partial revolution the disks and eccentric will be put in position to be shifted laterally in one direction to anv extent equal to the depth of the rib on the flange. Now normally the flanges 8, disks 24, and eccentric 1() rotate together. The disks and eccentric are held at one side ot' the space in which they may play by the superposition of the ribs on the flange and disk at the opposite side, and the disks thus hold the spindle 15 steady in position. To reverse the motions of the sprocket-wheels or driven part, it is necessary to shift the eccentric 10 and disks 24 laterally over to the other side, and this is effected by producing a rotation of the eccentric 10 independently of the flanges 8. The movement endwise of the eccentric sleeve 2 causes the oblique groove 3 thereon to act on the oblique key or stud 11 in the eccentric 10 in a wedging manner, tending both to rotate the eccentric and to carry it along sidewise in the direction the sleeve 2 is moving. Consequently when the eccentric l0, and with it the disks 24, shall have been rotated by the longitudinal movement of the sleeve 2 until the eccentric has become concentric IOO IIO

with the shaft, and therefore inoperative to drive the sprocket-wheels, the ribs or elevations on the respective disks and flanges will at this momentbe in position to permit the movement to shift the eccentric and disks laterally, so as toreverse the lead of jaws of the dogs. The sprocket-wheels are now at rest, and if it be desired todrive them in an opposite direction the sleeve 2 is moved still farther in the same directiomas before, thus gradually increasing the throw of the eccentric and setting the sprocket-wheelsin motion. If, however,.it is not desired to reverse the motion of the sprocket-wheels, but to set them in motion as before, the sleeve 2 is moved back again from the neutral point. The wedging action of the wall of the groove 30u the key 11 first moves back the eccentric and disks laterally and then rotates the eccentric in a manner to increase its throw, as will be understood. The point to be borne in mind is that it is only at the neutral point, where the eccentric l0 becomes exactly concentric with the shaft 1, that the ribs on the anges S and disks 24 reach the point where the lateral movement of the eccentric and disks can take place or the said parts shift laterally. Hence this shift always takes place at the instant the positive motion of the driven part has ceased. In order that this reversing feature may be the better understood, the three diagrams, Figs. 10, 11, and 12, have beenprovided. These views all show the same parts, but in different positions. Fig. 10 shows the parts as in driving ahead, Fig. 11 shows the same at the neutral point ready to reverse, and Fig. l2 shows the parts as in driving in the opposite direction. Let S represent diagrammatically the two flanges 8, and 27a the ribs 27 thereon. Between the flanges 8a the part designated 10 designates diagrammatically the eccentric IO, and the two disks 24 and 26n designate the ribs 26. The oblique stud or keyon the eccentric is designated diagrammatically at 11a. The arrows at the latter designate the direction of pressures exerted by the walls of the groove 3.

In Fig. 11 it will be noted that the rib 26% at the lowersidein the figure has been brought at the neutral point into contact with the rib 27 at that side, and the eccentric can turn no farther, but is compelled to move laterally. At the same time the rib 26 at tite ,opposite side will have moved just far enough to clear the rib 27a at that side. Consequently the lateral pressure shifts the eccentric over to the reversing position. The continued pressure on the oblique key 11@L can now rotate the eccentric to the operative position seen in Fig. 12. y

It may be explained here that in driving from the sprocket-wheels 9, which always rotatein opposite directions, some intermediate commuting or translating mechanism will of course be employed. This invention, however, would be operative in driving but one sprocket-wheel, and it is not limited to driving two wheels inopposite directions. If'the rotation of one of the sprocket-wheels should be arrested or prevented, the other wheel will be rotated at twice its normalspeed, or that when both Wheels are driven in opposite directions-for example, iu the application of the gearing to an automobile, for which it is especially well adapted-thev two sprocketwheels may be adapted to -drive the respective alined sections of an axle or `the two wheels on a non-rotative axle through the medium of suitable intermediate translating mechanism, as above stated. The device described performs all thefunctions of a compensating gear. In this case when the vehicle makes a short turn the forward rotation of one wheel will be arrested and -the other wheel will be driven forward with increased speed.

vThe application to the driving of two sprocket-wheels utilizes both movements of the dog D. The yoke 12 will have, of course, as many arms 12 as there are dogs D. There may be, of course, more than one spiral groove in the face of the sleeve 2; but one will sufce to carry out the purpose of the invention.

The variable-speed gear described is adapted for any uses where the rotary motion of a driver is to be converted into variable rotary motion.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1 In a variable-speed gearing,the combination with a driving-shaft, an inner eccentric sleeve 2 slidable longitudinally but non-rotative thereon,said sleeve having a spiral groove in its face, an outer eccentricsleeve 4, mounted on the sleeve 2, keyed to the driving-shaft and having an outer surface concentric therewith, wheels or parts, to be driven, mounted rotatively on the sleeve 4 as a journal, said wheels or parts `having gripping-ilanges, an operating-eccentric 10,mounted rotatively on the sleeve 2 and having a stud or key 11 enouter surfaces of the said outer sleeves being concentric with the driving-shaft,two wheels 9, mounted rotatively on the respective sleeves 4 and provided on their inner faces each with a gripping-llange 13, an operating-eccentric 10, mounted rotatively on the inner sleeve 2 between the sleeves 4, and having a stud or key l1 engaging the spiral groove in the sleeve 2, and a yoke 12 on the said eccentric, of two or more dogs D, having jaws which grip the lianges on the wheels 9 for rotating the latter IIO ' gaging the spiral groove in said sleeve 2, and A in opposite directions, and means operatively coupling said dogs with the yoke 12.

3. Inavariable-speed gearing,the combination with a rotatable driving-shaft, a longitudinallyslidable inner eccentric sleeve 2, mounted on and rotatable with said shaft, said sleeve having in it a spiral groove, an operating-eccentric mounted rotatively on said sleeve 2 and having a stud or key engaging the spiral groove therein, a yoke embracing said eccentric, and two wheels 9 to be driven, mounted rotatively and provided with gripping-flanges 13 on their adjacent faces, of a dog D between said wheels, with jaws to grip the flanges thereon, and means operatively coupling the eccentric-yoke with said dog, the latter' comprising a body, two outer jaws, and two inner jaws, the pair of jaws at one side being set to bite when the dog is moved in one direction, and the pair at the other side to bite when the dog is moved in the opposite direction.

4. In a variable-speed gearing, the combination with a rotatable driving-shaft, an operating-eccentric and its yoke, and means for gradually varying the throw of said eccentric without varying the speed of the drivingshaft, of a Iianged wheel or part to be rotated, a dog adapted to grip on the opposite faces of the flange of said Wheel and impart intermittent rotative impulses thereto, means operatively coupling together said eccentricyoke and dog, and means for shifting the jaws of the dog for reversing the driving motion.

5. In a variable-speed gearing, the combination with a rotatable driving-shaft, an operating-eccentric and its yoke, and means for gradually varying the throw of said eccentric without varying the speed of the drivingshaft, of a wheel or part to be rotated, a dog adapted to grip on some part of said wheel and impart intermittent rotative impulses thereto, means operatively coupling together said eccentric-yoke and dog, and means for automatically shifting the jaw of said dog for reversing the driving motion when the operating-eccentricis rotated to a position concentric with the driving-shaft.

G. In a variable-speed gearing, the combination with rotative parts 9, having each a flange 13, the driving-shaft, an operating-eccentric 10, its yoke, and means between said shaft and eccentric for varying the throw of the latter, of a dog D, said dog comprising a body 14, a spindle 15, rotative therein and provided with a crank-arm 21 on its inner end and a head 16 on its outer end, inner jaws 17, mounted on the said body and adapted to bear on the inner faces of the respective flanges 13, and outer jaws 1S, mounted on said head and adapted to bear on the outer faces of the respective gripping ianges, means for automatically rocking the shaft 15, so as to shift the outer jaws, at the moment the throw of the operating-eccentric is neutralized, and means operatively coupling the eccen tric-yoke with the said dog, whereby the driving movement may be reversed.

7. In a variable-speed gearing, the combination with a rotatable driving-shaft, an inner eccentric sleeve 2,slidable thereon,sleeves 4 keyed to and rotating with the shaft and each provided with a flange 8, having ribs 27 on its inner face, an operating-eccentric 10, rotatable on the sleeve 2, and having a stud or key 11 engaging a spiral groove in the said sleeve, said eccentric being situated between the sleeves ,and havinglateral movement between the same,the disks 24, embracing the eccentric 10 laterally and rotatable therewith, said disks having ribs 26 on their outer faces adapted to be moved into and out of register with the ribs 27, by rotation of said disks, the yoke 12 of the operating-eccentric, and the driven wheels 9, rotatable concentrically with the driving-shaft, of the dogs D, between the wheels 9, and means operatively coupling the said dogs with the yoke of the eccentric, each of said dogs having a body 14, inner jaws 17 to bear on the inner faces of grippingflanges on the respective wheels 9, a rocking spindle 15, provided with a. crankarm 2l, embraced between the disks 24, whereby lateral movement of the said disks serves to rock the spindle 15, a head 16 on said spindle, and outer jaws 18, carried by said head and bearing on the outer faces of the said gripping-flanges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this Sth day of March, 1901, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS T. WEISS.

VVitnersses:

PETER A. Ross, HENRY CoNNETr.

IOO 

